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2 Chronicles 10

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Rehoboam and Israel Meet at Shechem 1–5

1
And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. ​
2
And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. ​
3
And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spake to Rehoboam, saying,
4
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. ​
5
And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.

Rehoboam Seeks Counsel 6–11

6
And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? ​
7
And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. ​
8
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him. ​
9
And he said unto them, What counsel give ye, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that thy father did put upon us lighter?
10
And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. ​
11
And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. ​

The King’s Harsh Reply 12–15

12
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.
13
And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
14
and spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15
So the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was brought about of God, that Jehovah might establish his word, which he spake by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. ​

The Secession of Israel 16–19

16
And when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So all Israel departed unto their tents. ​
17
But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18
Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to taskwork; and the children of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. ​
19
So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 10

Verse 1

Rehoboam went to Shechem — Shechem 'in mount Ephraim' (Josh 20:7) was where Joshua had gathered 'all the tribes of Israel' (Josh 24:1) and where Abimelech was made king (Judg 9:6). Rehoboam was already king in Jerusalem (1 Kgs 11:43); 'all Israel' came to Shechem to make him king over the northern tribes as well.

Verse 2

Jeroboam the son of Nebat… in Egypt — Solomon's servant, set 'ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph' (1 Kgs 11:28). Ahijah had told him of ten tribes (1 Kgs 11:31), and when 'Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam', he 'fled into Egypt, unto Shishak', where he stayed 'until the death of Solomon' (1 Kgs 11:40). He returned when Rehoboam was to be made king.

Verse 4

our yoke grievous — Ol, the yoke of service. The LORD had told Israel, 'I have broken the bands of your yoke' (Lev 26:13). Solomon had raised a levy of thirty thousand men, sent to Lebanon in courses (1 Kgs 5:13–14). The people ask that the weight be eased and promise service in return: 'we will serve thee'.

Verse 6

the old men that had stood before Solomon — The elders who served his father are the first Rehoboam asks, as 'with the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding' (Job 12:12). Their counsel in v.7 comes from men who had stood before Solomon 'while he yet lived'.

Verse 7

If thou be kind to this people — 1 Kgs 12:7 gives the counsel in fuller form: 'If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them… then they will be thy servants for ever.' 'Good words' answer the people's request, and Proverbs says 'a soft answer turneth away wrath' (Prov 15:1).

Verse 8

forsook the counsel which the old men gave him — The 'young men that were brought up with him' were his own age, for Rehoboam was 'one and forty years old when he began to reign' (12:13). The same turning from sound counsel is told of Absalom, who preferred Hushai to Ahithophel because 'the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel' (2 Sam 17:14).

Verse 10

My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins — The young men turn the people's plea back on them. 'Lighter' (qalal) is the people's own word in v.4, 'ease thou somewhat'. Their reply for the king sets even his smallest part against the whole strength of Solomon, and so promises a heavier rule, not a lighter one.

Verse 11

with scorpions — The reply is in two lines: 'a heavy yoke' becomes more, and 'whips' (shot) become 'scorpions' (aqrab), the name of the stinging creature of the wilderness (Deut 8:15) used here of a heavier lash. 1 Kgs 12:11 gives the same words, and both have the king himself promising more: 'I will put more to your yoke' here, 'I will add to your yoke' there.

Verse 15

the cause was of God — The turn of events came from the LORD so 'that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam'. The prophecy is in 1 Kgs 11:29–39, and its ground was Solomon's turning from the LORD (1 Kgs 11:9–11). The prophecy of Ahijah is named at 9:29.

Verse 16

What portion have we in David? — The cry is that of Sheba the son of Bichri at 2 Sam 20:1: 'We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.' 'Portion' is cheleq and 'inheritance' is nachalah, words of the land allotted to each tribe. 'To your tents' is the call to go home.

Verse 18

Hadoram that was over the tribute — The overseer of the levy is Adoniram in 1 Kgs 4:6 and 5:14 and Adoram in 1 Kgs 12:18. The king sent the man set over Solomon's forced service to the people who had just asked that it be eased. They 'stoned him with stones, that he died', and Rehoboam 'made speed' to flee to Jerusalem in his chariot.

Verse 19

Israel rebelled against the house of David — 'Rebelled' is pasha, the word for transgression. The kingdom had been given to David 'for ever… by a covenant of salt' (13:5). Rehoboam then gathered Judah and Benjamin to fight, and the LORD forbade it: 'return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me' (11:1–4).